When I look to the sky I feel like I am looking into God's eyes. The [Sierra Nevada] surrounds me like a wall of thunder, so gigantic yet complete. It provides trees for me to realize how tiny a person I am. The rocks, trees, bushes, and caves symbolize God's complete magnificent power.

Beneath my feet the rocks are glossy and smooth as if this moment there was a glacier beneath my feet. My self [is] standing above the real ground soaring to the tops of the highest cliffs. Before me I see many things...one includes a u-shaped valley with a wild space of trees never-ending.

Another act of wonder before me as I watch: water springs to me like the tears the mountain holds. [It] springs before [me] in a wonderful zigzag and forms as a pool by my side. It welcomes and refreshes me.

Above me is the night blue sky with a full moon gazing down at the mountains. A world of winter is all around me.

New Experiences and a Changed Perspective

The new and exciting thing that I have experienced was backpacking and hiking. I have hiked many times in the wilderness and have seen nature in its wonderful form. But during this trip, we backpacked down the trail and hiked aorund many rocks and bushes with a very heavy backpack. The end result was blisters and sore feet and muscles [that were] very sore. In the beginning we hiked 6 miles towards Rancheria [Falls] and in the end we hiked back six miles. This has shown me much about my body and mind. In my mind, it shows me that I have a goal and if I keep pressing towards the mark and not give up then I will make it. As for my body, even though it was tough and my feet hurt to keep going, [I knew we would] make it and recover later on. In the future, my perspective will change because I am thankful that I have feet that can carry me around and many people do not have that luxury. Cars are such a luxury and so are bicycles. My perspective is to be very thankful and later on when I do not have much and [when] I am a translator I will be very thankful for feet and nature. While experiencing these wonderful physical activities I got to see the wonderful nature and mountains that contain gigantic trees and [the] sights [of] God's creation.

Wilderness in my past, present, and future...

In the past, wilderness has been the bomb and it is a part of my soul and in the past when I was a little kid the outdoors was a place of quietness and place to get out of my normal comfort zone and to explore God's magnificence through my eyes and soul. God has created this to be part of our soul; once we see it as it is our soul wants to see more magnificence. Now in the present the nature around me has opened up more and more because God has opened up my eyes and with his magnifying glass I see more of how only eternity counts.

In Yosemite, I see the great valley and how the glaciers formed our valley. These humungous things were created by the Lord. I see how tiny and small we are compared to the things we cannot control and the nature of earth. The beauty [of nature], and being so close to God, shows his love and power.

In the future, I see myself constantly in nature and in God's glory. Even the wonders of this world will not compare to God's divine power. I see how big the trees and mountains are and in the Bible it says nothing and none of these things can separate us from God's power. I will indeed be wild and [in] accordance with nature I will live in the jungle with native translators to give the people God's word in his language. He will prevail in the future with nature.